Margarita Benítez is the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Humanities Foundation, a respected and influential organization that enables cultural initiatives on the island ranging from documentaries to colloquia, publications, and cultural celebrations. She began a lifelong career in higher education at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR). At UPR, she was a professor of Spanish Literature and Humanities, as well as President of UPR’s Cayey Campus and Acting President of the Humacao Campus.

She has held various senior positions at the Office of Postsecondary Education in the U.S. Department. of Education and served as Director of Higher Education for The Education Trust, as well as a Senior Associate at the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP). Since 2006, she has served as Senior Associate at Excelencia in Education.